This invention relates to an article carrier of the so called top gripping type which is particularly, although not exclusively, suitable for holding together a plurality of bottles at the neck portions of the bottles in two or more rows.
Top gripping carriers for bottles are well known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,823,063 discloses a top engaging carrier having an internal double ply reinforcing partition. One of the partition-forming panels has a glue flap that extends from the bottom wall and is attached to the top wall of the carrier.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,476 discloses a top-engaging carrier having a so called billboard panel depending from one of the side walls. The billboard panel is normally used for carrying sales information and/or for advertising. In blank form, the carrier has its billboard panel at one end of the blank.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,104 discloses a top engaging carrier having a billboard panel and an upstanding reinforcing structure formed from a pair of mutually hinged panels. When the carrier is in blank form, the hinged panels are located between a pair of wall-forming panels.
Accordingly, so called billboard panels per se or partitions per se are known in the art as is shown in the above references. However, none of the references alone or in combination suggest forming a partition from a pair of hinged panels for the purpose of providing a top engaging carrier with a partition together with a billboard panel.